St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-04-16
CORN CULTURE.
BY JEFF WELBORN.
Texas Farm and Ranch.

and December, cotton stalk land in
January and February, and pillow deep
no more that season. In the spring we
only lay off and plant. If we could use
a planter we would harrow ahead OF
planting, but there is no planter made
| that our corn will go through. We
plant i'm a shallow, shovel furrOw, and
cover deep with a tnrnlng-ploW so as
| to leave an open furrow below the
grain. This not only drains the water
off the corn but let's the sun down to
warm up the soil near it. Two burrows
would cover too deep; the dirt would
drop back and fill both burrows. Nor
would shovel or a bull-tougue leave
an open furrow. II there has been lit
tie or no rain, we drag off with a pole
two rows at a time with one horse, or
four at Il time with two horses. II the
ground is packed or crusted, we use a
! harrow, dragging Oft just US the first
stalks appear above ground. AS soon
| as the land is in condition to pillow after
| the corn has four blades, we go around
! it with a double shovel In a week,
whether it rains or not, or SO soon as
| the ground is dry enough, we 20 around
the row again and one time through the
| middles. In another week we repeat
this last blowing. So soon as there IS
season enough in the ground we lay 10y
with four burrows of a turning pillow.
| Ut matters not how small the corn is,
we go in it no more, nor wait for 1t to
grow before laying by.) We get
| through early, while it is cool, so as to
give our entire time to cotton. We
work but one at time, and do but lit
| tie to cotton until we get the corn OH
our hands. In this way we can work
| one-third more crop. This rapid cult
| walton not only saves the entire job of
hoeipg, but keeps the surface open so
the air can penetrate and tertlllZe the
soil. This will cause the roots to tend
| doynwards. If the surface is allowed
| to cement, pack or crust, the roots Will
| come to the surface for air and either
the plow or the drouth will get them
| sure. Again, if the roots are near the
surface, the stalk becomes sappy when
Moved, and the roots are liable to be-
broken, causing the stalks to wilt.
This loose dirt will act as mulch to
shade the roots, consequently they VII
stand much longer dry weather. why
Law by with turning pillow! Because
this turns the surface or rich top soil
and all manure near the stalk and di-
recty over the roots where every ram
will carry the substance down to them
will start until the corn roots get entire
possession of the ground; it protects
the roots in time of dry weather, and
leaves a place for water to settle should
it be wet. And blowing with a turning
plow will last much longer than with
aDy other pillow. Why winter blowing
and shallow cultivation : 1t saves the
entire cost of cleaning up; 1t turns out
insects to freeze; turns down weeds
and all trash to rot; turns up the sub
soil to freeze and gives the ground time
TO get ripe and mellow, il saves the Use
and expense OF clOG- crusheTS, stalk
cutters and heavy harrows; and above
all, no root of any kind OF plant Will
catch in loose dirt. III the soil Is not
firm the roots will all be IN the un-
broken ground below and will only be
benefited by the substance carried
down into that earth by rains. We
want but two plows on stock, want
both of them to go on the same SIDE OF
the row and want no wheels. | sup
pose wheels are good where crab grass
and smart weeds don't grow, where
there are no clods or trash to catch be-
fore or between the front plOw and
tear down the drill, nor humps or hard
places for the wheels to run over, or
low places for the wheels to drop into,
or roots to knock the plOws out of gear
In case of any of above conditions, the
hoeing will amount to more than the
wages OF the hand.
OUR PLAN OF IMPROVING CORN.
We cultivate the same as an in the
main crop, except that we use no stlmu-
lating manures 10 this patch, put seiect
. rich snot that has not been in corn
q and not liz hlp
to damage from water or drouth. We
plant a small patch-about an. acre
When about every tenth stalk has
silked, we 90 over with piece OF old
cloth, tear off strips and tie on all
stalks that have silks. This gives
about 500 stalks on one acre, aud OF
course gets the earliest stalks: About
fodder-pullng time, or little later,
lbut don't pull fodder) tie on a second
strin on such stalks as suit-the best of
those already marked. We will this
time get about 100 stalks. As soon as
tbe corn is dry enough to she'll, we go
over with sack, pull all with two
striDs Oh them, carry to the house,
shuck all and select about ten ears that
suit us best in regard to both cob and
grain. These ten ears are enough to
plant the next years patch. The re-
mainder of the patch is thrown into
senarate crib, from which the seed for
next years main crop is selected,
shelled and nailed up. My plan as
practiced by us, is so simple, easy and
cheap that any one can practice it
even the poorest and most ignorant ne
gro-yet it is thorough. BY this plan
the past season our corn Id crio, estl-
mating rent and all other expenses,
cost us less than ten cents per bushel;
and we sell every season at from 45 to
Is cents per bushel, Now if farming inn
the Souti, don't pay, who is to blame ?
With the few and cheap tools, with
our long summers and short winters,
but little feeding is required; Ii you
don't like my methods, round me up;
it if right, somebody may be benefited.
New Boston, Texas.
RHckEamsS Arnica SagVe.